Apparatus for pumping liquids from a well



Dec. 26, '1961 E. E. KIMBERLY APPARATUS FOR PUMPING LIQUIDS FROM A WELL Filed Aug. 3, 1959 FIG. 2.

' Ililllllliili! IN V EN TOR.

POWER SOURCE EMERSON E. KIMBERLY,

, ATTORNEY.

APPARATUSFOR PUMllNG LlQUmS FRQM A WELL Emerson E. Kimberly, Colnmhns, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research @ompany, Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 3, i959, Ser. No. 831,373 6 Claims. (til. ltiS-l) This invention relates to apparatus for pumping liquids from a well. More particularly, the invention is directed to well pumping apparatus having a minimum number of moving parts.

When the natural flow of petroleum products from a well has declined to an unsatisfactory flow rate, it is the usual practice to utilize a mechanical pumping apparatus to provide artificial lift to the earths surface. A mechanical pump is disadvantageous in that it is very bulky, is quite expensive, and has a considerable number of moving parts. Additionally, at most locations it is necessary to provide a sucker rod to connect a walking beam at the earths surface to the reciprocating member of the well pump located at the depth from which it is desired to pump the well fluids. It is not infrequent that wells will reach depths of 15,000 to 20,000 feet into the earth; manifestly, relatively large amounts of energy are required for the sole purpose of lifting the combined weight of the sucker rod and the well pump.

It has been known to transport well liquids to the earths surface by systems wherein the liquid components of well fluids are heated. Typical of such systems are those described in U.S. Patent No. 2,429,940-McDaniel, No. 2,444,754Steflen, and No. 1,820,291-Strandell. For various reasons such systems have been found to be disadvantageous.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a chamber is provided in" a pumping unit that is adaptedto be lowered to the bottom of a well through a production tubing or casing. A first check valve is providedfor the purpose of permitting fluid flow only from the well bore and the lower portion of the production tubing into the chamber; a second check valve permits fluid flow only from the chamber into the upper portion of the production tubing. An arc electrode in the upper portion of the chamber or in a separate chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber is stantially less than the distance required to extinguish the discharge; therefore, a considerable amount of the fluid in the chamber will be volatilized before the arc is extinguished because it has been lengthened. Before the arc is extinguished, an appreciable volume of fluid in the chamber will be pumped through the second check valve. After the arc is extinguished, the volatilized fluids will condense and cause a lowering of the pressure in the fluid chamber so that the first check valve will open to permit fluid to flow into the chamber from the surrounding earth formations again. After a period of time, the surface of the liquid in the chamber again will rise to the levelwhere the-arc discharge is initiated to repeat the pumping cycle.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Mtg-4.28 Patented Dec. 26., l dl FIG. 1 is a partly schematic representation of an oil well wherein use is made of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View of the pumping sonde pictured in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the corn 7 the pumping ponent'parts of the pumping sonde during cycle thereof. 7

In FIG. 1 there is shown an oil well comprising a small diameter casing 17 that has been cemented so as to bond it to the surrounding earth formations and that has been perforated to provide fluid communication be tween the interior of the casing and the productive earth formation 21. Alternatively, a more conventional arrangement may be used wherein a tubing is lowered through a larger diameter casing that has been cemented and perforated, with the tubing packed off above the productive formation so that fluid flow to the earths surface is entirely through the tubing.

At the earths surface there is provided conventional A pumping sonde 19 is shown as having been lowered on the end of a wireline 7 into the production casing 17. The wireline 7 is lowered into the production casing through the lubricator and associated wellhead apparatus by means of a pulley Ill and a conventional drum reel 5. The line 7 comprises an outer sheath and aninner electrically conductive line 3 which may be electrically insulated from the outer strain member so that the strain member may serve as an electrical return to the earths surface. The line 3 is electrically connected between a source of electrical power 1 and the line 7 through a conventional slip ringassembly (not shown).

The details of construction of the pumping sonde 19 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIGS. 2 and 3 the operating components of the sonde are shown in two operative positions thereof. The housing of the sonde 19 comprises a cable head 18, a lower chamber section 54, and an in termediate section 26. A packer or sealing means 20 packs off the space between the sonde housing and the casing 17 to divide the well bore into an upper section and a lower section. A valve section 45 connects together the lower chamber section 5'4 and the intermediate section 26.

The chamber 53 in the lower'chamber section 5'4 is provided at its lower extremity with a check valve arrangement comprising a port 57 and a ball 55. p The ball is adapted to fall into the lower portion of section 54 so that fluid may flow from the lower portion of the borehole into the chamber 53 through port 57 into the lower portion of the interior of the casing.

Valve section 45 includes one or more check valves that permit fluid flow from the chamber 53 into the interior of the intermediate section. 26. The check valves include a ball chamber 47 housing a ball 49, and fluid ports 50 and 52. The weight of the fluid above the valve assembly is exerted through ports 52 to prevent fluid flow downwardly through the valves by sealing the balls against the upper end of ports 50; thus, fluid can flow only upwardly through the valve.

The intermediate section 25 houses an arc chamber member or receptacle 33. Supported by member 33 is an arc cup 37; mechanical connection between the arc cup and the member 33 is provided by a fluid conduit member 43 that extends through the valve member 45 into housing 53. The lower end of the fluid conduit member 43 is open, and ports 41 are provided for flow of fluids between the fluid conduit and the interior of member 33.

.follows.

An arc electrode support member 31 extends through the upper end of the member 33. Member 31 may be detachably connected to the member 33 to facilitate replacement of electrodes. An arc electrode 35 extends through member 33 into the interior of cup 37. Electrical connection between the conductor 3 and the are electrode 35 is made by means of a connecting member 30. The outer shield of shielded cable 7 is connected to a cable terminating member 23, which is of conventional design, and the cable terminating member is electrically connected to electrode housing 31. The electrode housing is electrically insulated from the electrode so that an electrical circuit is completed from electrode 35 through fluid in cup 37, and through cup 37, member 33, member 3ft, cable terminating member 23 to the electrically conductive shield of cable 7'. Alternatively, if power supply 1 is grounded, the electrical return may be through the conduit member 23, the valve section 45, the housing of the sonde, and the surrounding earth fluids to ground.

The upper portion 36 of cup 37 should be of an electrically insulative material such as a porcelain or ceramic substance so that arcing will occur from the electrode to the liquid in the cup and not to the cup itself.

Appropriate sealing members 25 and 32 are provided to prevent entry of fluids into the interior of the cable terminating member.

The cable head 18 is provided with one or more ports 26 for the purpose of permitting egress of fluids from the interior of the sonde after the fluids have been pumped upwardly through valve section 45.

The operation of the apparatus described above is as After the sonde has been lowered to the appropriate depth and packed off by packer member 20, power supply 1 is energized. Fluid from surrounding earth formations 21 will flow naturally through the perforations 23 in casing 17 and through port 57. Formation pressure will raise ball 55 to permit entry of fluids into chamber 53. The fluid will flow upwardly through fluid conduit 43 and through the check valve section 45. The liquids flowing through conduit 43 will also pass through ports 41, will rise within the arc chamber, and will overflow the upper lip of cup 37 into the cup.

When the fluids have risen sulficiently within cup 37, an arc discharge will be set up between electrode 35 and the liquids in the cup. The are discharge will vaporize the fluids within the cup and will drive liquids downwardly through the arc chamber and through fluid conduit 43, as shown in FIG. 3. Ball 55 will seat to prevent fluids from passing through port 57. Ball 49 will rise sufficiently to allow fluids to flow through ports 50 and 52 and upwardly through the space between the intermediate housing section 26 and the arc chamber. course the arc will be extinguished. In view of the fact that the distance between two members required to set up an electrical arc is substantially less than the distance required to maintain the are after it has once been set up, the level of the liquid in cup 37 will drop substantially.

After the arc has been extinguished, balls '49 will seat to prevent liquids from passing downwardly into chamber 53. The vapors in the arc chamber and in the fluid conduit 43 will condense, creating a reduced pressure in the arc chamber that will allow liquids to be forced up through port 57 into chamber 53 by natural well pressure, as shown in FIG. 1. In due course the liquids will overflow the upper lip of cup 37 and, after the liquids in the cup have risen sufflciently, another are discharge will occur to again pump fluids through check valve section 49 into the space within intermediate section 26. After a few pumping cycles, liquids will flow through ports 26 and upwardly through the casing 17 and outwardly through the flowline 15 to suitable fluid reservoirs (not shown).

As can be readily appreciated, the invention is quite advantageous in that .the only moving parts are the balls In due 4 of the check valve members. Furthermore, the invention is advantageous over prior art teachings in that little energy is required to pump fluids to the earths surface in the manner of the present invention as compared to the energy required for vaporizing earth fluids so that the vaporized components will rise to the earths surface.

The invention is not necessarily to be restricted to the specific structural details, arrangement of parts, or circuit connections herein set forth, as various modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for pumping an electrically conductive liquid up a pipe string responsive to energization by an electrical power source, comprising: a housing; means on said housing for effecting a fluid-tight seal between said housing and the pipe string to divide the pipe string into a lower portion and an upper portion; a first chamber within said housing; first check valve means in said housing for permitting fluid entry through said housing into said chamber from the lower portion of the pipe string; second check valve means operatively associated with said housing for permitting fluid egress from the chamber into the upper portion of the pipe string; a second chamber in said housing above the first chamber; fluid conduit means interconnecting said first and second chambers; a cup-like fluid receptacle in said second chamber adapted to hold liquid that rises into said second chamber and spills into said receptacle; and an electrode extending through the upper portion of said second chamber into said cup-like receptacle; said receptacle and said electrode adapted to be connected to the electrical power source so as to produce an arc discharge from said electrode to the surface of the liquid in said cuplike receptacle.

2. Apparatus for pumping an electrically conductive liquid up a pipe string, comprising; a housing; sealing means on said housing for effecting a fluid-tight seal between said housing and the pipe string to divide the pipe string bore into a lower portion and an upper portion; a chamber within said housing; first check valve means in said housing for permitting fluid entry through said housing into said chamber from the lower portion of the pipe string; means including second check valve means, operatively connected to said chamber above said first check valve means and to the exterior of said housing above said sealing means, for permitting unilateral fluid flow from the chamber into the upper portion of the pipe string bore; and electrical means positioned in fluid communication with said chamber above said second check valve means for vaporizing at least'a portion of the liquid entering the said chamber through said first check valve means to drive liquid through said second check valve means into the upper portion of the pipe string bore, thereby lowering the liquid surface in said chamber.

3. Apparatus for pumping an electrically conductive liquid up a pipe string responsive to energization by an electrical power source, comprising; a housing; sealing means on said housing for effecting a fluid-tight seal between said housing and the pipe string to divide the pipe string bore into a lower portion and an upper portion; a chamber within said housing; first check valve means in said housing for permitting fluid entry through said housing into said chamber from the lower portion of the pipe string; means including second check valve means, connected to said chamber above said first check valve means and to the exterior of said housing above said sealing means, for permitting unilateral fluid flow from the chamber into the upper portion of the pipe string bore; and means including an electrode within said chamber above said second check valve means, adapted to be connected to the electrical power source so as to produce an arc discharge from said electrode to the surface of the liquid in said chamber when the liquid surface is at 4. Apparatus for pumping an electrically conductive liquid up a pipe string upon energization by an electrical power source, comprising: a housing; sealing means on said housing for effecting a fluid-tight seal between said housing and the pipe string to divide the pipe string bore into a lower portion and an upper portion; a chamber within said housing; first check valve means in said housing for permitting fluid entry into said chamber through said housing from the lower portion of the pipe string; means including second check valve means in said housing, connected to said chamber above said first check means and to the exterior of said housing above said sealing means, for permitting unilateral fluid flow from the chamber through the upper portion of the pipe string here; an elongated receptacle havingan open end and a closed end, extending into said chamber so that liquid from said chamber can rise into said receptacle through said open end; means, including an electrode positioned in said chamber above the level of said second check valve means and at the closed end of said receptacle adapted to be connected to the electrical power source to produce an arc discharge between the electrode and the surface of the liquid in said receptacle so as to vaporize a portion of the liquid and force the liquid downwardly through said receptacle into said chamber and through said second check valve means into the upper portion of the pipe string bore.

5. Apparatus for pumping an electrically conductive liquid up a pipe string responsive to energization by an electrical power source, comprising: a housing; sealing means on said housing for effecting a fluid-tight seal between said housing and the pipe string to divide the pipe string bore into a lower portion and an upper portion; a first chamber within said housing; first check valve means in said housing for permitting fluid entry into said chamber through said housing from the lower portion of the pipe string; means including second check valve means in said housing, connected to said chamber above said first check valve means and to the exterior of said housing above said sealing means for permitting unilateral fluid flow from the chamber into the upper portion of the pipe string bore; a second chamber in said housing above said check valve means; fluid conduit means interconnecting said first and second chambers; a cup-like fluid receptacle in said second chamber adapted to hold liquid that rises into said second chamber and spills into said receptacle; an electrode holder extending through the upper wall of said second chamber; and an electrode supported by said electrode holder and extending into said cup-like receptacle; said electrode and said receptacle being adapted to be connected to the electrical power sources so as to produce an arc discharge from said electrode to the surface of the liquid in said cup-like receptacle.

6. Apparatus for pumping an electrically conductive liquid up a pipe string, comprising; a housing; sealing means on said housing for eflecting a fluid-tight seal between said housing and the pipe string to divide the pipe string bore into a lower portion and an upper portion; a first chamber Within said housing; first check valve means in said housing for permitting fluid entry through said housing into said chamber from the lower portion of the pipe string; means including second check valve means in said housing and connected to said chamber above said first check valve means and to the exterior of said housing above said sealing means for permitting unilateral fluid flow from the chamber into the upper portion of the pipe string bore; a second chamber in said housing above said second check valve means and said first chamber; fluid conduit means interconnecting said first and second chambers; a cup-like fluid receptacle positioned in said second chamber above said second check valve means adapted to hold liquid that rises into said second chamber and spills into said receptacle; an electrode holder extending through the upper wall of said second chamber; an electrode supported by said electrode holder and extending into said cup-like receptacle, adapted to be connected to an electrical power source so as to produce an arc discharge into the liquid in said cup-like receptacle; and an electrical power source electrically coupled to said electrode and to said cup-like receptacle so as to produce an arc discharge between said electrode and the liquid in said receptacle to vaporize at least a portion of the liquid in said receptacle for the purpose of driving fluid down through said conduit and up through said second check valve.

References titted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,574,498 Macready Feb. 23, 1926 1,784,214 Workman Dec. 9, 1930 2,083,799 Roberts June 15, 1937 2,429,940 McDaniel Oct. 28, 1947 2,488,787 Watson Nov. 22, 1949 2,781,099 Chesnut Feb. 12, 1957 2,799,641 Bell July 16, 1957 

